“I am inspired by the natural beauty we are blessed with in Michigan!”
Janice Dumas has been fascinated with watercolor since she was a teenager in southeast Michigan. Her love of nature and the beauty around us has inspired her focus on plein air painting. One of the founding members of the Michigan Plein Air Painters, Janice has participated in paint-out events in several Michigan locations including Glen Arbor, Dexter, East Tawas, Saginaw, Traverse City, Milford, Northport and Cadillac. She has also participated in the Quick draw in Door Co, Wisconsin, and “Paint the Beach” in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Her work has been exhibited in shows sponsored by numerous organizations including ArtPrize, Michigan Watercolor Society, Susan Kathleen Black Foundation, Our Town, City of Canton, Northville Art House and Milford’s Village Fine Art Association.
In her series of studio and plein air paintings, “Journey Through Michigan”, Janice has depicted scenes of her travels throughout Michigan. Winter, spring, summer, fall – all seasons are represented. From vast landscapes to intimate details this series includes images that inspire her, some very recognizable, others not so much. Subject matter is varied including cityscapes, flora and fauna, people, activities, buildings and other structures, farmland, lakes and rivers, and humorous episodes. In painting these images the artist hopes to make a connection with the viewer, to evoke a memory of past travels or experiences.
Janice is beginning a new series of paintings concentrating on the “Great Lakes of Michigan and Beyond.” In creating this series encompassing all five of the Great Lakes with their varying landscapes, Janice hopes to promote awareness of the necessity to protect the important resource we have in the Great Lakes. A lifetime resident of the Midwest, Janice graduated with a BFA from Wayne State University.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES / RETREATS:
ISLAND House Artist in Residence; Aug 2013
Glen Arbor Art Association Artist in Residence; May 2013
SKB Workshop / Retreat, Dubois, WY; 2003, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012
EXHIBITIONS:
Crooked Tree Art Center – Petoskey, Fields of Vision, Juried Fine Art Exhibition; 2024
Transparent Watercolor Society Online Exhibition; 2023
Art in the Loft, Alpena – Winterview; 2023
Art in the Loft, Alpena – Summerview; 2023
Art in the Loft, Alpena – Annual Juried Exhibition; 2023
Besser Museum, Alpena, Juried Fine Art Exhibition; 2023
Michigan Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition; 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2016 – 2020/01, 2022
Michigan Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibition; 1999, 2003, 2019, 2022
Michigan Watercolor Society Signature Show; 2023
Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 1997, 1999, 2003 – 2010, 2014 – 2023
State of the Arts, Saginaw Township, MI; 2022, 2023
Our Town, Birmingham; 1997, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023
Anton Art Center Annual L; 2023
Solo Exhibition – Saginaw Township, MI; Jan 2023
Saginaw Area Watermedia Artists, Juried Art Show; 2022
Take Flight, Oscoda Art Walk; 2022
Mackinac State Park Art Exhibition; 2021
Huron Shores Artisan Hall, Oscoda, MI; July 2021, Sep 2021
Gifts of Art, Suzanne Haskew Art Center, Milford, MI; 2021
Artexplosion, Grayling; 2021
Watercolor USA; 2020
Solo Exhibition – South Lyon / Salem District Library, South Lyon MI; 2020
6 x 6 Show, Randy Higbee; 2019, 2020
Solo Exhibition – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brighton, MI; December 2018 – February 2019
ArtPrize, Grand Rapids; 2014, 2017
Northville Art House – the Graded Wash; 2017
Canton Fine Arts Exhibition; 2016
Solo exhibition, Right Brain Brewery, Traverse City; 2015
Solo exhibition, Blue Grill, Milford; 2015
Michigan Plein Air Painters exhibition, Studio 1219, Port Huron; 2015
Solo Exhibition, Huron Valley Council for the Arts; July 2014
Grosse Pointe Art Center, Our Rivers, Our Lakes; 2014
Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 1996, 1997, 1999 – 2010, 2012 - 2014
F.A.R.M. Exhibit, Lowell Arts; 2014
“Connected” book & ArtPrize exhibit; 2013
Michigan Plein Air Painters exhibition, Huron Valley Council for the Arts, Highland; 2010
Michigan Plein Air Painters exhibition, Livonia Public Library, Livonia; 2008
Livonia Exhibition of Fine Arts; 2006
Michigan Plein Air Painters exhibition, Kensington Metropark, Milford; 2005
Left Bank Gallery; 2003
First Presbyterian Church of Northville Annual Show; 2002, 2003
South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Art Show, 1991– 2003
Michigan State Fair; 2003, 2004
All Macomb Student Show, 1976, 1977
PLEIN AIR EVENTS:
Paint Tawas Bay; 2022, 2023
Dexter Plein Air Festival; 2014 – 2019, 2022
Northport Plein Air Festival; 2019
Fresh! Plein Air Milford; 2017 - 2021
Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2015 – 2018
Door County Plein Air Festival Dockside Quick Paint 2017
Crooked Tree – Traverse City Paint Out; 2016
Glen Arbor Art Association Plein Air Paint Out; 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Cadillac Plein Air Paint Out; 2013
AWARDS, HONORS:
2nd Place, Paint Tawas Bay; 2023
Honorable Mention, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2023
2nd Place, Quick Draw, Dexter Plein Air Festival; 2022
Saginaw Township Purchase Award; 2022
2nd Place, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2022
2nd Place, Take Flight, Oscoda Art Walk; 2022
(2) Merit Awards, Take Flight, Oscoda Art Walk; 2022
MWCS / Golden Award, Michigan Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition; 2022
Honorable Mention, Fresh! Plein Air Milford; 2021
People’s Choice, Fresh! Plein Air Milford; 2021
1st Place, Huron Shores Artisan Hall, Oscoda; 2021
Michigan Watercolor Society Signature Status; 2019
2nd Place Quick Draw, Dexter Plein Air Festival; 2019
Honorable Mention, Fresh! Plein Air Milford; 2019
Honorable Mention for poetry, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2019
2nd Place, SAM Gardens Quick Paint, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2018
Honorable Mention, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2018
1st Place Quick Draw, Fresh! Plein Air Milford; 2017
Best of Water Media, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2017
1st Place Frankenmuth Quick Draw, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2017
2nd Place Bay City Quick Draw, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2017
2nd Place Saginaw Museum District Quick Draw, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2017
1st Place Oldtown Saginaw Quick Draw, Great Lakes Bay en Plein Air Festival; 2016
Honorable Mention, Crooked Tree – Traverse City Paint Out; 2016
Honorable Mention and People’s Choice, Canton Fine Arts Exhibition; 2016
2nd Place, Professional Artist, Dexter Plein Air Festival; 2015
Honorable Mention, Juried Class, Great Lakes Bay Plein Air Festival; 2015
People’s Choice, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2015
Honorable Mention, Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 2014
3rd Place Quick Draw, Dexter Plein Air Festival; 2014
Suzanne Haskew Award of Excellence - First Place, Village Fine Art Association PAN; 2014
People’s Choice, Cadillac Plein Air Paint Out; 2013
Third Place, Cadillac Plein Air Paint Out; 2013
Honorable Mention, Susan Kathleen Black Foundation Art Show; 2012
David Metteri Memorial Award, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2010
Mary Mobley Memorial Award, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2009
Best Vision (2nd place), Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 2005
2nd Place, South Lyon Fine Art Society; 2004
Gordon Mann Memorial Award, Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 2004
Main Street Art Award, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2003
Honorable Mention South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 2003
5th Place, Wildlife Art, Michigan State Fair; 2003
2nd Place People’s Choice, Michigan State Fair; 2003
Honorable Mention, First Presbyterian Church of Northville; 2003
Larsen Art Award, Village Fine Arts Association PAN; 2001
David Metterie Memorial Award, Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 2000
People’s Choice, Village Fine Arts Association Views & Visions; 1999
Honorable Mention (2), South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 1999
Honorable Mention, South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 1997
Honorable Mention, South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 1996
Second Place, South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 1996
First Place, South Lyon Fine Art Society Annual Show; 1993
Third Place, Manley Samson Scholarship Award, Mt. Clemens Art Association; 1978
Certificate of Merit, Scholastic Art Awards; 1977, 1978
COLLECTIONS:
Henry Ford Hospital Macomb; 2023
Oscoda Art Walk; 2022
Saginaw Township, MI; 2022
McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital; 2020
GALLERIES:
Main Street Art; Milford, Michigan
Art in the Loft; Alpena, Michigan
Huron Shores Artisan Hall; Oscoda, Michigan
Studio 23; Bay City, Michigan
PUBLICATIONS:
“Connected” along with Artprize 2013
ARTIST'S STATEMENT:
I am an optimist. I love nature. I see beauty all around me. I love to share my interpretation of what I see with people who enjoy art – especially those who appreciate watercolor painting! Since I was a young girl I was fascinated with watercolor – I devoted myself to exploring the medium, the fascinating ways various pigments mix together then separate after you put them on the page, the way they burst across the paper when you place them in a puddle of water or another color, the thousands of colors you can mix from a palette of fifteen colors. Although mostly self-taught, I have attended several workshops to glean information from other artists and combined that information to use in my own unique way. In 2003 I was introduced to plein air painting – I attended a workshop where much of our time was spent painting landscapes outdoors. When we returned from the workshop we started the Michigan Plein Air Painters, a group of artists who have been painting outdoors every Saturday since 2003. Although most of the other painters work in oil and other media, I have figured out how to make watercolor work outdoors – from the high humidity, hot summer day to the freezing cold winter I can be found painting along a river or in a field – I am constantly looking for another scene to capture.
As I stated, I am an optimist. Recently I have had an opportunity to realign my life and make art my purpose, my daily life’s work. I am living the artist’s dream!
Memberships:
Michigan Watercolor Society
Transparent Watercolor Society
Village Fine Art Association, Milford, MI
Michigan Plein Air Painters
Recent Works
